How do I get from Bangkok to Ayutthaya by train?

Take a State Railway of Thailand train from Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue Grand) or Hua Lamphong to Ayutthaya station. The trip takes about one to two hours depending on the train. Buy the ticket at the station on the day, then cross the river by ferry to the island.

Which Bangkok station do I use?

Krung Thep Aphiwat has most of the trains, including the air-conditioned BNEX and the rapid and express trains. Hua Lamphong has a few slow trains with the cheapest fare. Check the train tables on this page for the day you travel.

Is the temple pass worth it?

It depends on how many temples you will really enter. The pass is cheaper once you go into four of its seven temples. For one or two temples, single tickets cost less. The pass checker on this page does the sum.

What time do the temples close?

Closing times differ by temple: some close in the late afternoon, others in the early evening. See the closing-time table and visit the early closers first.

Can I visit at night?

Normally you cannot go inside the temples at night, but several are lit and can be seen from outside or from the river. In winter there has been a special evening opening on some days; check for the new season’s dates.

A tour saves planning and includes transport, but the sums on this page compare it with going by train. Tours usually leave in the morning and spend the hottest hours at the temples.

Should I stay overnight?

One night lets you see temples after the tour buses leave and spread the pass over two days if it allows. A day trip works if you plan around the early-closing temples.

Ayutthaya day trip from Bangkok

TRIPAYUTTHAYA

Most English guides still print old prices. Here are the new ones with dates, and a day planner that works backwards from the train home.

OPEN: 08:00
LAST CLOSE: 18:30
ENTRY: ฿80 · ฿300 for 7

Checked 6 November 2026

Short answer

Train, 3rd class: ฿44 rapid from Krung Thep Aphiwat · ฿15 from Hua Lamphong (SRT)
Temples: ฿80 each · ฿300 for seven (foreign visitors)
Last temple closes: 18:30 (Wat Chaiwatthanaram); two close at 16:30
Last train home: 21:22 special express (no 3rd class) · 19:50 BNEX · 18:59 rapid (3rd class)
Recently changed: Temple ticket ฿50 → ฿80, and the six-temple ฿220 ticket → seven temples for ฿300 (Fine Arts Department, April 2026). Most English guides still show the old numbers. The air-conditioned BNEX train has run from Krung Thep Aphiwat since 1 August 2026; its ฿30–50 promotion ended 31 October.

Some guides print ฿20 for 3rd class. SRT’s own search shows ฿44 on rapid trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat and ฿15 from Hua Lamphong; the SRT figures are used here.

Plan your day

Pick the train you will take to Ayutthaya. The page shows the temples you can fit in before each train home, working from how long the temples stay open.

DayTrain to Ayutthaya

Every train home

Train home	Temples	Spare

Assumptions (review-based): 15 minutes from the platform to the island, 45 minutes in each temple, 12 minutes between temples, 10 minutes extra to cross to Wat Chaiwatthanaram, 20 minutes back to the station, last tickets 30 minutes before closing.

Example

Arriving on train 111 (07:50) at 08:57 on a weekday:

09:12–09:57Wat Phra Si Sanphet and the old royal palace
10:09–10:54Wat Ratchaburana
11:06–11:51Wat Mahathat
12:13–12:58Wat Chaiwatthanaram

Earliest train home that fits the most: 13:57 72, 4 temples.

Trains

All trains between Bangkok and Ayutthaya from the State Railway of Thailand’s timetable search. Fares are 3rd class for an adult.

Buy at the station counter on the day; short trips like this are generally not sold online. BNEX tickets are sold at every station.

BNEX is the air-conditioned SRT Bangkok Connex, running Krung Thep Aphiwat to Ayutthaya since 1 August 2026. Some runs are weekdays only, some weekends and holidays only.

Krung Thep Aphiwat → Ayutthaya

Departs	No.	Type	Arrives	Runs	3rd class
05:25	9001	BNEX	06:30	Mon–Fri	฿30 / ฿50
06:10	21	Special express	06:58	Every day	No 3rd class
07:10	135	Rapid	08:27	Every day	฿44
07:30	7	Special express	08:21	Every day	No 3rd class
07:50	111	Rapid	08:57	Every day	฿44
08:05	9003	BNEX	09:15	Weekends, holidays	฿30 / ฿50
08:45	75	Express	09:41	Every day	฿164
09:05	9005	BNEX	10:19	Every day	฿30 / ฿50
10:35	71	Express	11:30	Every day	฿164
12:55	9007	BNEX	14:10	Weekends, holidays	฿30 / ฿50
14:15	109	Rapid	15:18	Every day	฿44
16:25	9009	BNEX	17:40	Mon–Fri	฿30 / ฿50
18:15	9011	BNEX	19:30	Every day	฿30 / ฿50
18:40	9	Special express	19:43	Every day	No 3rd class
19:40	139	Rapid	20:46	Every day	฿44
20:05	13	Special express	21:07	Every day	฿204
20:25	25	Special express	21:38	Every day	No 3rd class
20:45	107	Rapid	21:48	Every day	฿44
21:05	23	Special express	22:01	Every day	No 3rd class
21:25	133	Rapid	22:29	Every day	฿44
22:30	51	Express	23:36	Every day	฿164
23:05	141	Rapid	00:16	Every day	฿44

Ayutthaya → Krung Thep Aphiwat

Departs	No.	Type	Arrives	Runs	3rd class
03:07	142	Rapid	04:10	Every day	฿44
03:25	108	Rapid	04:30	Every day	฿44
03:42	24	Special express	04:50	Every day	No 3rd class
04:01	52	Express	05:10	Every day	฿164
04:24	26	Special express	05:30	Every day	No 3rd class
04:48	14	Special express	05:55	Every day	฿204
05:25	10	Special express	06:30	Every day	No 3rd class
05:36	140	Rapid	06:50	Every day	฿44
06:14	134	Rapid	07:20	Every day	฿44
06:50	9002	BNEX	08:05	Mon–Fri	฿30 / ฿50
10:40	9006	BNEX	11:55	Weekends, holidays	฿30 / ฿50
13:57	72	Express	14:55	Every day	฿164
14:24	76	Express	15:20	Every day	฿164
15:00	9008	BNEX	16:15	Every day	฿30 / ฿50
16:04	112	Rapid	17:10	Every day	฿44
16:50	8	Special express	17:40	Every day	No 3rd class
16:55	136	Rapid	18:00	Every day	฿44
17:55	9010	BNEX	19:10	Every day	฿30 / ฿50
18:59	102	Rapid	20:05	Every day	฿44
19:50	9012	BNEX	20:55	Every day	฿30 / ฿50
21:22	22	Special express	22:15	Every day	No 3rd class

Hua Lamphong → Ayutthaya

Departs	No.	Type	Arrives	Runs	3rd class
04:15	303	Commuter	05:48	Every day	฿15
05:05	339	Commuter	06:44	Mon–Fri	฿15
10:15	201	Ordinary	12:14	Every day	฿15
11:15	209	Ordinary	12:57	Every day	฿15
12:00	233	Ordinary	13:38	Every day	฿15
12:55	211	Ordinary	14:34	Every day	฿15
14:20	207	Ordinary	16:07	Every day	฿15
16:45	301	Commuter	18:38	Every day	฿15
17:00	341	Commuter	18:52	Every day	฿15
17:30	317	Commuter	19:12	Mon–Fri	฿15
18:20	313	Commuter	20:08	Mon–Fri	฿15

Ayutthaya → Hua Lamphong

Departs	No.	Type	Arrives	Runs	3rd class
05:07	314	Commuter	06:50	Mon–Fri	฿15
05:46	302	Commuter	07:35	Every day	฿15
06:38	342	Commuter	08:30	Every day	฿15
07:10	318	Commuter	08:50	Mon–Fri	฿15
08:18	208	Ordinary	10:10	Every day	฿15
09:00	304	Commuter	10:30	Every day	฿15
09:41	340	Commuter	11:10	Mon–Fri	฿15
10:11	212	Ordinary	11:55	Every day	฿15
11:55	202	Ordinary	13:45	Every day	฿15
12:52	234	Ordinary	14:35	Every day	฿15
18:21	210	Ordinary	20:05	Every day	฿15

Source: State Railway of Thailand timetable search, read by Claude on 6 November 2026. Fares from each train’s detail page. SRT’s search does not list train 9004. 6 November 2026.

Temples, fees and closing times

Seven temples share one ticket. Fees are for foreign visitors; Thai visitors pay ฿10 or ฿40. Hours are from a review-based guide edited on 27 October 2026.

Temple	Thai name	Fee	In the pass	Hours	Note
Wat Mahathat	วัดมหาธาตุ	฿80	Yes	08:30–18:00	Buddha head in tree roots; sit lower than the head when taking photos.
Wat Ratchaburana	วัดราชบูรณะ	฿80	Yes	08:00–16:30
Wat Phra Ram	วัดพระราม	฿80	Yes	Hours not found	No hours found in the guide.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet and the old royal palace	วัดพระศรีสรรเพชญ์และพระราชวังโบราณ	฿80	Yes	08:00–16:30
Wat Chaiwatthanaram	วัดไชยวัฒนาราม	฿80	Yes	08:00–18:30	Across the river from the island; the best sunset view.
Wat Maheyong	วัดมเหยงคณ์	฿80	Yes	08:00–16:30
Wat Kudi Dao	วัดกุฎีดาว	฿80	Yes	Hours not found	No hours found in the guide.

Last entry is about 30 minutes before closing.

Other temples (outside the ticket)

Two guides agree on these fees; the Fine Arts Department’s announcement does not list them.

Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon฿20 · 17:00
Wat Na Phra Meru฿20
Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit฿20 · 16:30
Wat Phanan Choeng฿20 · 17:00
Wat LokayasuthaFree
Wat Phu Khao ThongFree

Is the 7-temple ticket worth it?

From 4 temples the pass is cheaper (4 × ฿80 = ฿320, more than ฿300). For three or fewer, buy single tickets.

How long the new pass stays valid is not confirmed: one 2026 review says two days, and the older ฿220 ticket was said to last 30 days. Ask at the ticket counter.

Before April 2026 guides gave ฿50 per temple and a 6-temple ฿220 ticket. Entry was free to the seven sites on 27 March 2026, the Fine Arts Department’s anniversary.

Best order and today’s sunset

Temples close at different times, so the order matters. Go to the early closers first, the island’s big temple in the afternoon, and the river-side temple at sunset.

1Wat Phra Si Sanphet and the old palace — closes 16:30
2Wat Ratchaburana — closes 16:30
3Wat Mahathat — closes 18:00
4Wat Chaiwatthanaram, across the river — closes 18:30, last, for the sunset

Through the year, sunset in Ayutthaya falls between about 17:47 and 18:51. Tickets are sold until about 30 minutes before closing.

Getting around the island

The station is on the east bank. A short ferry crosses to the island; after that you go by tuk-tuk or bicycle.

Ferry from the station	฿5–10	About 2 minutes; most guides say ฿5 all day, one says ฿10 and a last boat about 17:30.
Tuk-tuk by the hour	฿200–400	Negotiate; three guides say about ฿200 an hour.
Tuk-tuk, 3–4 hour temple circuit	฿600–800	Agree the temples and the waiting time first.
Bicycle, per day	฿50–100	Shops on Chikun Road, open about 08:00–08:30; many guesthouses lend them.
Electric bicycle	about ฿150	Review-based.

Review-based: guides and travel blogs, 2026. No operator publishes these prices.

DIY vs a tour: total cost

One person, a day on your own. Snacks and drinks are not included.

Item	Baht	Note
Train, return	฿30–฿88	Hua Lamphong ฿15 each way, or rapid from Krung Thep Aphiwat ฿44 each way (3rd class).
Ferry, two crossings	฿10–20	฿5–10 each.
Bicycle or tuk-tuk	฿50–800	Bicycle for the day, or a 3–4 hour tuk-tuk circuit.
Temples	฿300	Four or more temples; ฿80 each if fewer.
Do it yourself, about	฿390–฿1,208

Day tours on GetYourGuide, “from” per person: ฿900–฿1,100 for five listings (6 November 2026). Three include temple entrance fees, one is optional and one page contradicts itself, so check what a price covers.

A tour adds a guide and transport, and lunch on some; going by train gives you your own timing.

Price checks

Temple single ticket, foreign visitor: ฿80 · 6 November 2026
Seven-temple ticket, foreign visitor: ฿300 · 6 November 2026
Temple single ticket, foreign visitor (also quoted by a guide): ฿80 · 31 October 2026
Seven-temple ticket (also quoted by a guide): ฿300 · 31 October 2026
Temple single ticket (earlier value, guide edited May 2026): ฿50 · 31 October 2026 · ←
Six-temple ticket (earlier value, guide edited May 2026): ฿220 · 31 October 2026 · ←
Rapid train 3rd class, Krung Thep Aphiwat–Ayutthaya: ฿44 · 6 November 2026
Ordinary or commuter train 3rd class, Hua Lamphong–Ayutthaya: ฿15 · 6 November 2026
BNEX promotion, Krung Thep Aphiwat to Bang Pa-In, Ban Pho and Ayutthaya (1 Aug–31 Oct 2026): ฿50 · 31 October 2026
BNEX from 1 November 2026, by distance (SRT remark): ฿30 or 50 · 6 November 2026
Ferry from the station to the island: ฿5–10 · 31 October 2026
Tuk-tuk, 3–4 hour temple circuit: ฿600–800 · 31 October 2026
Bicycle, per day: ฿50–100 · 31 October 2026
GetYourGuide day tour t383879, from, per person: ฿1,100 · 6 November 2026

Rules

Rules visitors are told on site; the list is short.

Dress: Cover shoulders and knees at the temples. Bang Pa-In Palace is stricter (below).
The Buddha head in the tree roots: At Wat Mahathat, squat or kneel so your head is lower than the Buddha head. Guards ask visitors to do this.
The ruins: Do not climb on the ruins or stand on the walls.
Drones: A permit is needed to fly a drone over the park.

Evenings and seasons

The temples are normally closed at night; the lights can be seen from outside or from the river.

When	What	Status
Winter 2025–26	Evening opening with lights, Fridays to Sundays and public holidays, 16:30–21:30	Last season’s dates. This season’s dates not yet announced.
13–22 February 2026	World Heritage festival	Last year’s dates.
9–13 April 2026	Songkran at Wat Chaiwatthanaram, open 09:00–21:00	Last year’s dates.
27 March	Free entry to the seven sites for the Fine Arts Department’s anniversary	Held in 2026.

Day trip, sunset tour or one night?

Three ways to do Ayutthaya.

Way	Who it suits	Time of day	You see	You miss	About
Train day trip	Independent travellers	Morning to evening	Inside the temples; early-closing ones first	The sunset if you take an early train home; 09:00–15:00 is hot and busy	฿390–฿1,208
Afternoon sunset tour	Korean-language group tours	Leaves around 14:30, about 6 hours	Two or three temples, a sunset boat, the lights of Wat Chaiwatthanaram from outside	Inside Wat Chaiwatthanaram (closed by then); temple fees are often not included	from ₩45,120 (one listing); temple fees often extra
One night	Slow travellers	Two days	Temples after the tour buses leave, the night market, the opening at 08:00; the pass over two days if it allows	Nothing, but costs a room	a night’s room plus the train costs

Times and prices are from sellers’ pages (as sold) and reviews, not an operator’s schedule.

Bang Pa-In Palace

A royal palace about 20 km south of the island, easy to add if you take the BNEX train, which stops at Bang Pa-In.

Fee: ฿100 for foreign visitors
Hours: Daily 08:00–16:00; closed for royal events and some holidays
Dress: No sleeveless tops, skirts above the knee, leggings or backless sandals; cloth is lent at the gate
Getting around: Golf cart about ฿400 for the first hour
From the station: Distance to the palace gate: Checking

Where: Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, about 80 km north of Bangkok. The temples are on and around an island in the river; the station is on the east bank.
Hours: Temples close at 16:30, 18:00 or 18:30 depending on the temple (review-based). Tickets are sold until about 30 minutes before.
Getting there: Train from Krung Thep Aphiwat or Hua Lamphong, about 1 to 2 hours; then a ferry across the river.
Costs: Temple ฿80, seven-temple ticket ฿300 for foreign visitors (Fine Arts Department, April 2026). Rapid train, 3rd class ฿44 each way.
Stations: Ayutthaya

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อุทยานประวัติศาสตร์พระนครศรีอยุธยา

The Thai name, as its map listing or its own pages write it (see sources).

FAQ

How do I get from Bangkok to Ayutthaya by train?: Take a State Railway of Thailand train from Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue Grand) or Hua Lamphong to Ayutthaya station. The trip takes about one to two hours depending on the train. Buy the ticket at the station on the day, then cross the river by ferry to the island.
Which Bangkok station do I use?: Krung Thep Aphiwat has most of the trains, including the air-conditioned BNEX and the rapid and express trains. Hua Lamphong has a few slow trains with the cheapest fare. Check the train tables on this page for the day you travel.
Is the temple pass worth it?: It depends on how many temples you will really enter. The pass is cheaper once you go into four of its seven temples. For one or two temples, single tickets cost less. The pass checker on this page does the sum.
What time do the temples close?: Closing times differ by temple: some close in the late afternoon, others in the early evening. See the closing-time table and visit the early closers first.
Can I visit at night?: Normally you cannot go inside the temples at night, but several are lit and can be seen from outside or from the river. In winter there has been a special evening opening on some days; check for the new season’s dates.
Is a tour worth it?: A tour saves planning and includes transport, but the sums on this page compare it with going by train. Tours usually leave in the morning and spend the hottest hours at the temples.
Should I stay overnight?: One night lets you see temples after the tour buses leave and spread the pass over two days if it allows. A day trip works if you plan around the early-closing temples.

BEFORE YOU GO

Before you go

Start early
The cool hours are before 09:00 and after 15:00; two big temples close at 16:30.
Bring cash
Temple tickets, ferry and tuk-tuk are paid in cash.
Check the train you want home
Several trains have no 3rd class; look at the table before you buy a return.

Money Exchange

CHECKED

2026-11-06

When the content was last checked, not the deploy date.

Prices and times are checked on the dates shown and can change. The fees come from the Fine Arts Department’s own announcement; closing times, the ferry, tuk-tuks and bicycles come from guides and reviews.

Spotted a wrong value? Write to the contact address in the footer.

Google Maps in Thai: Ayutthaya Historical Park (Google Maps; reference; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Train schedule Krung Thep Aphiwat to Ayutthaya (22 trains, 9001 to 141) with 3rd-class fares (State Railway of Thailand; railway operator; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Ayutthaya Historical Park (coordinates, UNESCO listing) (Wikipedia; reference; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Ayutthaya temple opening hours (modified 27 October 2026), review-based (ayutthayatemple-guide.com; review-based; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Train schedule Ayutthaya to Krung Thep Aphiwat (21 trains, 142 to 22) with 3rd-class fares (State Railway of Thailand; railway operator; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Train schedule Hua Lamphong to Ayutthaya (11 trains, 303 to 313), 3rd class ฿15 (State Railway of Thailand; railway operator; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Train schedule Ayutthaya to Hua Lamphong (11 trains, 314 to 210), 3rd class ฿15 (State Railway of Thailand; railway operator; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Bangkok to Ayutthaya train timetable (Krung Thep Aphiwat departures match SRT) (Planning research summary (thaitrainticket.com); third-party timetable; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Songkran at Wat Chaiwatthanaram, 9–13 April 2026: single ticket ฿10 Thai / ฿80 foreign, seven-temple ticket ฿40 / ฿300 (Fine Arts Department (Thailand); railway operator; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Wat Chaiwatthanaram: ฿80 single ticket, ฿300 for seven temples (updated October 2026) (Planning research summary (Visit Thailand Today); review-based; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Ayutthaya temple entrance fees (modified 28 May 2026): ฿50 and a six-temple ฿220 ticket, 30 days, cash only; other temples ฿20 or free (ayutthayatemple-guide.com; review-based; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Thailand by train: short-distance tickets such as Ayutthaya are sold at the station on the day (seat61.com (man in seat 61); review-based; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
SRT Bangkok Connex from 1 August 2026: Krung Thep Aphiwat to Ayutthaya, promotion fares until 31 October (Bangkok Biznews / InfoQuest / Kapook; news; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Getting around Ayutthaya (27 October 2026): ferry ฿5, tuk-tuk about ฿200 an hour, bicycle ฿50–80 (Planning research summary (ayutthayatemple-guide.com); review-based; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Cabinet approves higher entrance fees for foreigners at historic parks (25 July 2023) (InfoQuest; news; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Free entry to seven Ayutthaya sites on 27 March 2026, Fine Arts Department anniversary (TrueID Travel; news; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Ayutthaya day trip or overnight (25 April 2026): seven-temple ticket ฿300, said to be valid two days; winter evenings; markets (Planning research summary (therestlessbeans); review-based; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Ayutthaya at night: illuminations Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, December 2025 to February 2026, 4:30–9:30 PM (previous season) (Tourism Authority of Thailand; Tourism Authority of Thailand; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Ayutthaya Historical Park page: no news or FAQ entries and no 2026–27 night opening found (Fine Arts Department (Thailand); railway operator; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Ayutthaya events: World Heritage festival 13–22 February 2026, Chaiwatthanaram Songkran 9–13 April 2026 (event pages and news; links not kept) (Planning research summary; news; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
Korean-language Ayutthaya sunset river cruise tour: 14:30 meeting at BTS Asok, about six hours, temple fees not included (Planning research summary (WAUG); seller; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)
GetYourGuide Ayutthaya day trips: t383879 ฿1,100, 4.7 from 12,493 reviews, 7–7.5 hours; five other listings ฿900–1,971 (GetYourGuide; seller; read for this page; read 2026-11-06)
Bang Pa-In Palace: ฿100 for foreigners, daily 08:00–16:00, dress code, golf cart about ฿400 (updated October 2026) (Planning research summary (Visit Thailand Today); review-based; read in the planning research; read 2026-10-31)

How we check

With a guide

If you would rather not plan it, this day tour starts in Bangkok and includes lunch.

Ayutthaya temples guided tour with lunch · GetYourGuideAffiliate link★ 4.7 · 12,493 reviews · from ฿1,100 per personseller page, 6 November 2026

We earn a commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. It does not change what the page says above.